Yunjie Zhao | Biological Networks | Research Excellence Award

Prof. Yunjie Zhao | Biological Networks | Research Excellence Award

Central China Normal University | China

Prof. Yunjie Zhao is a distinguished biophysicist who earned his Ph.D. in Biophysics from Huazhong University of Science and Technology in 2012, where he conducted pioneering research on computational prediction of non-coding RNA structures under the mentorship of Prof. Yi Xiao, following his B.S. in Physics from the same institution. He advanced his expertise as a Postdoctoral Research Scientist at The George Washington University with Prof. Chen Zeng, contributing significantly to de novo protein design and bionetwork modeling. Since 2016, he has been a faculty member at Central China Normal University, becoming a full Professor in 2019, and has taught a wide range of courses including Machine Learning, Biophysics, Bioinformatics, Computational Biology, and Physics. Prof. Zhao is an active member of several professional societies, including the Chinese Physical Society and the Biophysical Society of China, and previously the American Physical Society. He serves as an editorial board member for leading journals such as Briefings in Bioinformatics, iScience, Pharmaceuticals, Life, Biomolecules, International Journal of Molecular Sciences, and Scientific Reports, and is a frequent reviewer for top-tier publications including Nature Biotechnology, Nature Reviews Genetics, Nature Machine Intelligence, Nature Communications, and Physical Review Letters. His research contributions are further reflected in multiple granted patents spanning protein–ligand binding site prediction, RNA contact prediction, plant lectin polymerization peptide inhibitors, and protein drug binding pocket prediction, underscoring his impactful contributions to computational biology and biophysics.

Profiles: Scopus | Google Scholar

Featured Publications

"RNA-protein interaction prediction using network-guided deep learning", H Liu, Y Jian, C Zeng, Y Zhao, Communications Biology 8 (1), 2025.

"Advances and Mechanisms of RNA–Ligand Interaction Predictions", C Zhuo, C Zeng, H Liu, H Wang, Y Peng, Y Zhao Life 15 (1), 2025.

"Decoding the effects of mutation on protein interactions using machine learning", W Xu, A Li, Y Zhao, Y Peng, Biophysics Reviews 6 (1), 2025.

"Advances in Methods for Accurate Prediction of RNA–Small Molecule Binding Sites: From Isolated to AI-Integrated Strategies", J Gao, C Zhuo, C Zeng, H Liu, Y Zhao, Pharmaceuticals 18 (10), 2025.

"Ab initio HIV-1 Tat–TAR interactions study using hybrid scoring-enhanced molecular modeling across subtypes", C Zeng, H Wang, J Gao, H Liu, C Zhuo, Y Zhao, Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics 27 (27), 2025.

Raquel Martín García | Biological Network | Best Research Article Award

Dr. Raquel Martín García | Biological Network | Best Research Article Award

Puerta de Hierro University Hospital Majadahonda | Spain

Dr. Raquel Martín García is a highly accomplished neurologist specializing in movement and sleep disorders, with extensive academic and clinical expertise. She earned her Degree in Medicine and Surgery (2010–2016) and is currently pursuing her Doctorate in Medicine and Surgery at the Autonomous University of Madrid. After completing her Neurology specialization at Puerta de Hierro University Hospital (2017–2021), she has since served as a Specialist Physician in the Movement Disorders Unit and the Sleep Unit at leading hospitals and research centers in Madrid, including the Sleep Research Institute and CISNe Comprehensive Sleep and Neuroscience Center. Dr. Martín García holds multiple postgraduate qualifications, including a Master’s in Movement Disorders, expert titles in Headaches and Neurosonology, and advanced certifications in cerebrovascular and hereditary neurological diseases. Her research contributions include several publications in prestigious international journals such as European Journal of Neurology, Brain Sciences, and Epilepsy & Behavior, as well as book chapters for Springer and the Oxford Handbook of Sleep and Sleep Disorders. She has actively presented her work at major neurology conferences, participated as a sub-investigator in numerous Phase II and III clinical trials on Parkinson’s disease and multiple sclerosis, and contributed to teaching and mentoring at the Autonomous University of Madrid. Recognized for her dedication to advancing neurological sciences, she received the STADA Fellowship from the AMN Movement Disorders Group in 2024.

Profiles: Scopus

Featured Publications

"Device-aided therapies (DATs) in Parkinson's disease (PD). The DATs-PD GETM Spanish Registry Protocol Study", Martín García R, Plos One, 2025.